This is a fascinating, comprehensive look at all things Japanese. The author has done a wonderful job of providing information on geography, architecture, food, customs - - the list goes on and on. Accompanied by beautiful photographs, this book is a must-have for anyone planning a trip to Japan - - or anyone who just enjoys learning about other countries.

Highly recommended.

Lovely, thorough, interesting travel guide/history book/culture discussion/lovely to look at book. Very interesting and very useful for anyone considering traveling to Japan.

“How to Live Japanese” is a fabulous introduction to the Japanese lifestyle by writer Yutaka Yazawa, who has penned the ultimate insider’s guide. Replete with inspiration and insight into the very best of Japanese culture, design, cookery, and philosophy. Whether its making tea, going for a hike, celebrating imperfections, cutting- edge film-making, or revolutionizing the whisky market, “How to Live Japanese” reveals the heart and soul of a great culture. Highly recommended for the info-rich text and beautiful photos and design. 5/5

Pub Date 27 Sep 2018

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#HowToLiveJapanese #NetGalley

This book is divided into Japanese areas. If you're into Zen living or Japanese culture you will enjoy this book. It goes into details.
Felt like reading an encyclopedia from time to time, however I would still recommend this.

This is an absolutely beautiful book with many wonderful illustrations and photographs. Unfortunately there is no key to photographs - if you have been to Tokyo many of them you will recognise, but to the uninitiated it may have been nice to give details of the locations. It is also not a complete guide to the regions - I would have loved to have read about the Hokuriku region which is where I visited, but it is not covered.

This is not a book in the style of Marie Kondo with the advice on how to actually live in the Japanese style. Rather it is an observation by a Japanese person who very cleverly interprets for the western mind the culture and essence of Japan. You will not buy this book and begin to live like a Japanese person, you will however have some understanding of why certain things are done they way they are in Japan.

Different areas of Japan are highlighted and a little history about that area. Every aspect of life is covered from birth, naming babies to funerals. Things I have never read in a book about Japan before. Festivals by month are given There is also a small glossary of Japanese phrases that have no literal translation - again not something I have seen written down before.

As someone who has visited Japan I found this book fascinating and a memento of my time there. If you are yet to visit or just intrigued this is a good book to become acquainted with Japan.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of the book.

This is more a book on "how the Japanese live", not exactly "how to live Japanese". On that premise, this book excels. The book is a primer on Japanese idiosyncracies that extends beyond culture and history -- it also talks about different regions in Japan, commonly celebrated holidays, and spirituality.

It covers unique Japanese customs, traditions, products -- such as kintsugi, or the art of ceramic repair with gold. It covers special Japanese words with no equivalent English translation, such as itadakimasu. It talks about the Japanese philosophies of wabi-sabi and ikigai. There's a mention on sports, craftsmanship, food, robots... safe to say I think this book covers all the bases.

This book is a great introductory read if you're a Japanophile or if you're preparing for a trip to Japan. The only thing I didn't like about the book were the illustrations -- I hope they're just stand-ins, because the artwork seems plain (in the style of paper cut-outs if I'm not mistaken).

I received a digital Advance Reader Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

This is a very informative book on life in Japan. Having visited there last year I was delighted to read many aspects of the cultures and places I didn't get to visit which will definitely be on my list next time.

I have discussed parts of this book with my son as his girlfriend is Japanese and he said it is a true and detailed account of Japanese life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press, White Lion Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I did not really know what to expect when getting access to this book but I was really interested by all the interesting facts about the japanese lifestyle. Some were already known to me but I was happy to learn more about Japan.

A mix of cultural references, traveling and history, this little book should be a delight to anyone interested in the Japanese culture.

I enjoyed How to Live Japanese. I have always been fascinated with the culture so I enjoyed learning about the food places, and cultures of Japan. The sections are not overly wordy so it is an easy read instead of sounding like a scholarly encyclopedia. My favorite part was the photos. The gorgeous full color of photos of places and people in Japan moved me to no end.
I would recommend this to others interested in Japan.

An overview of a country that is Japan. From its ancient history to Harajuku girls; just about everything there is to know! Written in a very accessible style. Nice armchair traveling to be done with this book.

One particular downside for me was that there wasn’t any captions accompanying the photographs!

What the author of this book has managed to do in just over 200 pages is amazing! This short volume is an excellent resource on Japanese life, culture, geography, history and customs. The author lived abroad for many years before returning to Japan. He openly acknowledges those areas where he has his own opinions, thereby engaging the reader.
In addition to the informative text, the photographs and illustrations are appealing and often beautiful. Highly recommended for those who want to visit Japan, have visited Japan or want to learn more about the country.

If anyone ever wanted to know what Japan is like from someone who used to live there, then look no further than Yutaka Yazawa's photographic book. "How to Live Japanese" moves away from the "tourist" and "pop-culture" aspects of Japan for a more realistic presentation of Japan. The photos are simple, yet breathtaking. It makes you admire Japan more for keeping their non-tourist attractions just as picturesque as the tourist ones.

In addition to the photos, Yazawa includes notes, references, and explanations to what non-Japanese residents are familiar with: samurai, ikigai, Eastern vs. Western culture, harajuku girls, food, music, etc. However, there are sections that describe how Western culture was just as influential in Japan than it was vice versa. Words and terminology you have heard of, you thought you knew, or never heard of are listed and explained throughout the pages.

The only issue I have with this book is the ebook edition, which is what I read. Many of the pages are spread for two-fold, but the one page view makes the picture obscure and ruins the photo (and yes, I tried to alter the settings, but it didn't work). The ebook edition sort of ruin the experience I was supposed to receive from those (split) photos.

The author did an excellent job presenting a simple, yet beautiful compilation of Japan as a country and as a culture. Anyone who has any interest in Japan and its culture should pick up this book. The pictures and the text are worth it. A perfect gift for someone who is interested in visiting "The Land of the Rising Sun."

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

This was fun! It reads like a book for potential tourists. Good one. Was sad Kimura Takuya did not get a mention! Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

This book is just BEAUTIFUL. Not just the pictures, but the insight, the peek into Japan and it's culture and people is just so interesting and fresh to me, it made me want to travel halfway around the world to visit this amazing place and people.

I mean, I want to do that anyway, but this book makes me feel like I wouldn't be TOO horribly "ugly American" if I went. I don't think this book has made me an expert or anything, but I feel like I would understand a little about Japan and the culture there. Not the language, unfortunately. I am rather poor when it comes to languages other than my own.

Though that wasn't the point of the book, some words and phrases with no direct translation were included, as well as the thought-process behind them. That was very interesting and I wish that section had been longer and that my memory was better!

4.5 stars, rounded up, because it was just so exactly what it claimed to be. A book about Japan and the culture and people, from one person's POV, but honest and so interesting. Highly recommended if you are into Japan and the culture and people, or if you travel via books. This one will take you there.

My thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press White Lion Publishing for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

I've always been fascinated by Japan and Japanese culture. While this book is less "How to Live Japanese" and more "How the Japanese Live", it is not disappointing. The reader is treated to all things Japanese, from learning about the differences of the various regions to many aspects of Japanese culture, food and customs. Anyone interested in Japan would surely learn something new from this book.

Thank you to Yutaka Yazawa, Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press, White Lion Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.

I have always been interested in the way the Japanese live and their seemingly unflappable exterior, so this book is right up my reading street! Nowhere else in the world can such Zen individuals be found living in super-metropolis' that would have most of us stressed and tearing our hair out. I also admire the respect that the Japanese have for the natural world, and the enjoyment they get from even the simplest, smallest things.

Japan is the destination right at the very top of my bucket list and somewhere I long to visit someday. This book not only talks about the fascinating culture, customs, products, food, design, holidays, spirituality and philosophy that each contribute to the mental well being of Japan's residents, it's actually useful too. East meets West, old traditions meets new advancements, this informative text is beautifully complemented by clear, full colour photographs which serve to make my yearning to visit even stronger, although I would've liked to have known where each of the photos were taken, so a caption would've been appreciated! A comprehensive guide to all things Japanese, ideal for Japanophiles and those planning to travel there soon. Written in an accessible tone that is easy to understand, you'll be one step closer to comprehending Japan and the Japanese having read this text. I plan to purchase a copy for my bookshelf as I can imagine a hard copy being far superior given that the photographs and the design of the book is a large part of the appeal.

Overall, this is an ideal introduction to the idiosyncracies of Japan which covers a wide variety of topics in sufficient depth. Should a particular part of the book tickle you, you can pick up another title that deals with it in greater detail should you so wish.

Many thanks to Quarto Publishing Group - Aurum Press/White Lion Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A pretty book about various areas and culture of Japan. It was a perfect book to read prior to my own trip to Tokyo and nearby areas. As with most countries, one area is not quite like the other. But they all make up Japan. I do like reading about that country's culture.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book.

I have been doing research on Japan for a trip I hope to take soon and I really enjoyed looking at the pictures and learning more about the culture. There is so much that is still mysterious to the outside world that is very important to Japanese culture like modern traditions and philosophy. This book really took a deep dive in to traditions and how things really are in Japan. The pictures were great and I felt like I learned a little something on each page.

What a lovely and well presented book this is, so full of wonderful photos, information on all components of Japanese life. Yutaka writes very well, with lots of information that is easy to read and extremely interesting.
I would really recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Japan, or who wishes to travel to the country. The book it is such a wealth of culture, history, everyday life and information, and it is very difficult to put down.

Beautifully done between illustrations and descriptions. I gave it 3 stars though simply because it felt pretty cut and dry for a topic that could garner lots of readers and fans if it was done in a more creative light - philosophies, cultural elements, etc. where it felt a bit more sociology/geography heavy.

I have never been to Japan, even if I’d love to visit it and I found this book really interesting. It’s interesting if you don’t know a lot about Japan and want to read more, it’s interesting if you have some notions of the Japanese culture, and it’s interesting even if you have a lot of info about it. To be completely honest, I think it could be an interesting reading even if you are not so interested in Japan at all.

This book has two strong features: the writing and the contents. The writing is great because it’s not hard to follow, it’s not boring and it’s never complicated or over-academic and I loved it. This book is extremely easy to follow and that’s an appreciable thing. The other really good thing about it is its content. This book speaks about a ton of different thing: from geography to history, to traditional, or not so traditional, food to games. It’s a precious collection of different facts and notions, and I think that everyone can easily find something interesting between these pages. So, yeah, I think you can guess it now, but if I have to use just one word to describe this book it would be… interesting! I learned a ton of new things and I loved it!
3.5 stars